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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28267509">Ring</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenViolet/pseuds/HiddenViolet'>HiddenViolet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 - 12 Days of Writing [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Affection, Exchanging of rings, Fluff, Gentle Affection, M/M, Secret Relationship, date, proposal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:02:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28267509</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenViolet/pseuds/HiddenViolet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Holmes has a gift for Watson.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 - 12 Days of Writing [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2054838</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am so close to my writing goal that I can almost taste it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Holmes stared at the ring and sighed lightly. He heard the shuffling of his companion and tucked the box into the pocket of his dressing-gown. He watched as Watson entered, carrying the paper and looking cheerful.</p>
<p>Holmes’ eyes skipped over Watson’s body, and he immediately deduced that the warm weather had eased the pain in Watson’s leg. He was glad of it. His companion was prone to be taciturn a touch short-tempered when he was in pain. Although Holmes didn’t fault him for it, he preferred when his friend was cheerful.</p>
<p>“Morning, dear fellow. Has Mrs. Hudson brought up breakfast yet?”</p>
<p>“No, my darling, she hasn’t. I imagine that she’ll be up in a few minutes with it. You are up a bit earlier than you normally are, and you have a spring in your step. Has the pain eased in that troublesome leg of yours?”</p>
<p>“Oh, yes, it has! I must admit that I feel quite chipper today. That winter weather had me plagued with muscle cramps, I believe that spring must be on its way.”</p>
<p>Holmes blessed him with a wan smile. “I’m truly glad to hear of it. Well, why don’t you see if the newspaper has anything interesting in it this morning and read me the good parts? That should help pass the time until Mrs. Hudson arrives with breakfast.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yes.” Watson took his seat and opened up the paper. His keen eyes traced quickly through it, searching out anything that might interest Holmes.</p>
<p>For a moment, Holmes gazed at his companion. It seemed a cliché, but in the morning light, his graying hair looked golden, and he looked like some otherworldly creature. It took Holmes’ breath away, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. He focused every bit of his immense mental faculty in committing the image to memory. He couldn’t bear to think about losing a single part of it.</p>
<p>Watson seemed to sense his gaze and looked up at him. “Is there something wrong, Holmes?”</p>
<p>Holmes shook his head. “No. I have just become overcome by your handsome state this morning. I can hardly bear to look at you, yet the thought of looking away is more than I can handle.”</p>
<p>Watson’s cheeks blazed scarlet. For all of his abilities to charm when he felt like it, Watson never seemed to understand when he had affection reciprocated. Indeed, Holmes had said similar statements to him in the past, each with the same effect. Although Holmes couldn’t deny that it made his lover all the more fetching.</p>
<p>They were interrupted by Mrs. Hudson, knocking on the door and entering. She was carrying their morning breakfast on a large silver tray. She set it down on the table that Watson was reading his paper at.</p>
<p>“Will you be needing anything else? A glass of cool water perhaps, Doctor? You look quite flushed.” Mrs. Hudson’s words held the barest hint of teasing. She knew, of course, that they were intimate and had graciously and loyally never said anything. However, she was not above teasing either of the men—especially Watson, who was so easy to fluster.</p>
<p>Watson managed to shake his head, and she nodded in response. “Alright, then. Call for me if you need anything else.”</p>
<p>She quietly exited their rooms, and Watson blew out a breath. Holmes turned toward the wind and hid his smile. Watson was truly one of the most easily flustered people he had ever met. He refused to believe that Watson had ever been in control of a relationship. He was simply too passive to ever be the one giving orders.</p>
<p>Although, it was said that there were plenty of women that liked it like that. Ones who preferred to give the orders. Holmes favored Watson partially because of it. Watson could follow along with pretty much any plot that Holmes threw at him. However, he also could think on his feet. He could save a man from dying, shoot a man to stop him, and still manage to ignore Holmes’ remarks effectively.</p>
<p>He was indeed the most perfect man that Holmes had ever met in his entire life. The thought that he might slip away from him was more than he could bear. That had led him to buy the ring. Although Watson wouldn’t be able to wear it on his finger, he would be able to wear it on a chain around his neck. Holmes was planning on purchasing a similar one for himself. That way, they would have their proof of love in the form of a ring.</p>
<p>“Eat up, Watson. We have a big full day of investigating to do. Then later this evening we are attending the opera and having a meal at that lovely new place a few blocks away. It should be a lovely day all in all.”</p>
<p>“Alright, if you insist, Holmes. Although why you have it in your mind to attend the opera tonight and why you want to go to dinner is beyond me. We normally have a quiet night in after such a busy day. It’s not like you at all.”</p>
<p>“Ah, I just wanted a change of pace. Are you in?”</p>
<p>Watson gave him a teasing smile. “Have I ever not been? It seems that every adventure you have, I am along for the ride. Of course, I am Holmes. I will always be there to help you. Let me finish my breakfast and fetch my things, and we can be off.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watson was out of breath when they arrived at a place that seemed like a cheap pub. He glanced at Holmes, surprised that this is where he had picked to go together. In the past, he had always picked much better places to eat.</p>
<p>“Don’t judge it by it’s outside, dear chap. I know that it looks quite shabby, but it has some of the best food you will ever taste. You just need to get past the exterior to see it. Here, let’s go in.” Holmes placed an arm companionably around Watson’s waist and led him into the restaurant. The touch was casual enough to not betray them to an observer. However, it allowed him to be incredibly close to his lover.</p>
<p>The inside was much cleaner than the outside would’ve suggested. It was tidy with white tablecloths covering each table. The most telling part of the restaurant was that it held only men. Each of them looked as though they were simply out for a simple dinner with a friend. To the trained eye, though, you could tell that in truth, they were on dates.</p>
<p>Every single couple had their heads close. Their hands would touch and linger on their partner’s. Watson began to blush as soon as he was in the restaurant, but it was quickly forgotten.</p>
<p>“Oh, Holmes. This place is lovely. You didn’t need to do this for me. I would’ve been satisfied with a quiet dinner at home. However, this is an absolutely wonderful idea.”</p>
<p>Holmes led him to a small table towards the back. Suddenly the fact that there weren’t any windows was very telling. You wouldn’t want a casual passerby to look in and see all these men and no women. Two men entering a restaurant together could be easily explained. Twenty, each very clearly on a date, not so much.</p>
<p>“I’ve already gone ahead and ordered our food. I wanted to make sure that they were making something that we both would enjoy. Wine?”</p>
<p>Watson nodded, and Holmes poured him a small glass. The ring was burning a hole in his pocket. It would be a time before their food would arrive, and Holmes knew that he wouldn’t be able to wait that long. He had waited many years to find one such as Watson. Then he had spent all week waiting for this day to be here so he could present his gift. He just didn’t have it in him to wait another half hour.</p>
<p>Watson sipped at his wine and gazed at Holmes utterly enchanted. “This is wonderful, my dear fellow. What’s the occasion? Our anniversary isn’t for another few months.”</p>
<p>Holmes gave him a small, affectionate smile. “You have correctly deduced that I had an ulterior motive for bringing you here. It is something that I felt needed a more romantic setting. The flat is lovely, but I wanted a place that truly matched the act.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Holmes, you have me curious. What is it you want to do? You know that you can do anything, and I will follow your lead.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I am aware. This isn’t easy, nor is it a simple matter. Yet it is one I feel I must do, for the two of us.”</p>
<p>“Take your time. You can do as you please.”</p>
<p>Holmes breathed deeply and then began his explanation. “I am aware that we can’t get married. Likely it will never be alright for people like us to get married. If it is, it won’t happen in our lifetimes. Yet, I find myself needing one of the standard traditions. Although I have never held with traditional customs, this is one that I simply can’t seem to go without. You won’t wear it on your hand, so I went ahead and bought a chain. That way, you can always have it with you if you want.”</p>
<p>Holmes brought out the small box and held up the delicate gold ring on a gold chain. Anybody who saw it would believe that it had belonged to a lost love and that Watson was sentimental. Watson gasped and stared at the ring in disbelief.</p>
<p>“Oh, Holmes, it’s stunning. May I see it?”</p>
<p>“Yes. It’s yours, after all.” Holmes handed him the ring lifting the chain entirely from the box.</p>
<p>Watson cradled it in his hands, and Holmes’ eyes caught on them. They were strong, long, and lean. They were the hands of a doctor, a surgeon, and a man who could save and take countless lives. They were the hands he felt on him, late into the night. Surrounding him and bringing him pleasure. Holmes could hardly take his eyes away from them.</p>
<p>He turned and looked at Watson’s face and was taken aback by what he found there. He gazed into a set of blue eyes that held so much love that he could hardly stand himself. The sheer adoration that Watson held for him was painted across his face completely.</p>
<p>“I accept this gift, wholeheartedly. I only wish that I had one that I could give you in turn. If I am going to be wearing a sign of our relationship, so should you be. I also want to accept the commitment that clearly comes along with it. You want forever, and so do I. So yes, Holmes, I will accept this and everything else that you have to offer me.”</p>
<p>Holmes’ smile was large and real, a rarity for him for sure. It only ever seemed to come out around Watson. He wasn’t sure why, but that’s what he found. Watson took the ring and placed the chain around his neck. He allowed it to lay down the front of his shirt.</p>
<p>Holmes knew that as soon as they left their cocoon of safety, Watson would need to tuck the chain away. He would have to hide it to make sure that nobody knew they were together. However, Holmes himself would know it was there. He would always be aware that Watson was wearing his ring and had his claim.</p>
<p>“I thought it best to allow you to choose a ring for me as well. One I shall also wear on a chain around my neck. You also might note that that ring doesn’t fit you. That’s because it is sized for my hand. I am hoping that you shall get one sized for you and give it to me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Holmes. It would be my greatest pleasure to have you wear my ring. We shall have to pick it out as soon as possible. Ah, here is our food. It turns out you did have an ulterior motive, Holmes. Although I never could’ve guessed it. You play things so close to the vest.”</p>
<p>“Ah, but if I don’t, then you won’t be surprised. You have come along too far as a detective for just regular surprised to be adequate.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comment and kudos if you liked it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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